(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. This sturdy book on current (male) soccer players from around the world reads like a fluff magazine, with brief bios comprised of stats and anecdotes. Generously illustrated with vivid full-page photographs, the glossy format may entice fans looking for anything about international soccer stars. The book lacks an index, sources, or suggested resources.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Accentuated by eye-catching action photos, informative two-page spreads trace the spectacular rise of the hard-driving soccer trio known as "The Three Musketeers." The sometimes repetitive text nevertheless adequately follows the three stars' careers in Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina before they played together in FC Barcelona in 2014; it also highlights their individual playing styles, stats, and personalities. Mostly for hard-core young soccer enthusiasts.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 See American History series. Illustrated by Mort Künstler. Axelrod (Revolutionary) and Robertson (Civil; West) describe major facets of two American wars and the exploration and "settlement" of the American west. Each spread contains an accurate, matter-of-factly written summary about an event, animated and informed by Künstler's color paintings and portraits, but there are inadequate textual transitions between sections. An appendix identifies "key people" who played important roles in these historical periods. Timeline. Review covers the following See American History titles: The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, and The Wild West.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 Wally, a friendly looking wolf, is hungry and gets increasingly grumpy as the book's illustrator draws and offers inappropriate foods. Zoe the Zebra loses her stripes and becomes frustrated with the book's illustrator, who keeps painting triangles on her hide instead of stripes. The stories are slight, but the meta interactions may entertain young listeners new to the convention. Review covers these titles: Wally the Wolf and Zoe the Zebra.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) K-3 Wally, a friendly looking wolf, is hungry and gets increasingly grumpy as the book's illustrator draws and offers inappropriate foods. Zoe the Zebra loses her stripes and becomes frustrated with the book's illustrator, who keeps painting triangles on her hide instead of stripes. The stories are slight, but the meta interactions may entertain young listeners new to the convention. Review covers these titles: Wally the Wolf and Zoe the Zebra.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) K-3 This gimmicky book will nevertheless engage young readers with ten diverse portraits; cardstock pages are divided into three sections so that, for instance, an image can be composed of Van Gogh's hat, Mona Lisa's eyes, and George Washington's mouth. When the flaps are scrambled, the brief facing-page text doesn't always work, but the book's appeal is its visual fun. Notes about the art are appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 See American History series. Illustrated by Mort Künstler. Axelrod (Revolutionary) and Robertson (Civil; West) describe major facets of two American wars and the exploration and "settlement" of the American west. Each spread contains an accurate, matter-of-factly written summary about an event, animated and informed by Künstler's color paintings and portraits, but there are inadequate textual transitions between sections. An appendix identifies "key people" who played important roles in these historical periods. Timeline. Review covers the following See American History titles: The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, and The Wild West.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 See American History series. Illustrated by Mort Künstler. Robertson's straightforward, factual text--enhanced by Künstler's detail-driven color paintings and portraits--focuses on American military strategy and activity during WWII. Each spread accurately and succinctly summarizes a major war event, but with very little transition. Endpaper maps display the European and Pacific theaters. An appendix briefly describes the military and political leaders who played important roles in the war. Timeline.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 See American History series. Illustrated by Mort Künstler. Axelrod (Revolutionary) and Robertson (Civil; West) describe major facets of two American wars and the exploration and "settlement" of the American west. Each spread contains an accurate, matter-of-factly written summary about an event, animated and informed by Künstler's color paintings and portraits, but there are inadequate textual transitions between sections. An appendix identifies "key people" who played important roles in these historical periods. Timeline. Review covers the following See American History titles: The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, and The Wild West.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Each of these books on current soccer players and teams reads like a magazine, with a mishmash of stats and stories (e.g., a spread in Morgan shares her zodiac sign and the biggest singles, films, and events the year she was born). Generously illustrated with full-page photographs, the glossy formats may entice fans looking for anything about their favorite soccer stars. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers the following World Soccer Legends titles: Alex Morgan, Neymar, and U.S. Women's Team.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Each of these books on current soccer players and teams reads like a magazine, with a mishmash of stats and stories (e.g., a spread in Morgan shares her zodiac sign and the biggest singles, films, and events the year she was born). Generously illustrated with full-page photographs, the glossy formats may entice fans looking for anything about their favorite soccer stars. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers the following World Soccer Legends titles: Alex Morgan, Neymar, and U.S. Women's Team.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Each of these books on current soccer players and teams reads like a magazine, with a mishmash of stats and stories (e.g., a spread in Morgan shares her zodiac sign and the biggest singles, films, and events the year she was born). Generously illustrated with full-page photographs, the glossy formats may entice fans looking for anything about their favorite soccer stars. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers the following World Soccer Legends titles: Alex Morgan, Neymar, and U.S. Women's Team.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) PS Ping and Pong the penguins are each miffed about having another penguin in his book until they sketch a new setting together. Rudy the reindeer wants the artist to draw him a forest but gets a city, boat, train, and, ultimately, a jolly friend instead. While these stories are slight, the meta interactions are entertaining and the dialogue simple and funny. Review covers these titles: Ping and Pong the Penguins and Rudy the Reindeer.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) PS Ping and Pong the penguins are each miffed about having another penguin in his book until they sketch a new setting together. Rudy the reindeer wants the artist to draw him a forest but gets a city, boat, train, and, ultimately, a jolly friend instead. While these stories are slight, the meta interactions are entertaining and the dialogue simple and funny. Review covers these titles: Ping and Pong the Penguins and Rudy the Reindeer.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) K-3 Chef Foody's pots and pans wonder, "where does all this food come from?" Foody and his cat lead a food-production tour, focusing on how various food groups (e.g., grains, dairy, meat) get to our kitchens. Crowded double-page spreads feature cartoon scenes filled with snippets of information and visual jokes. This bare-bones overview is diverting if not entirely satisfying.

Reviewer: Breanna J. MCDaniel

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Generously filled with a variety of large color photographs, maps, statistics, and game action, these busy volumes are engaging scrapbooks for world soccer fans. The stiffly written texts offer a mix of history, biography, and personal details on fan favorites. All but U.S. Men's and World Cup include a board game on the endpapers. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers these World Soccer Legends titles: FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Messi, Real Madrid, Ronaldo, Stars of the World Cup, U.S. Men's Team, and Zlatan.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Generously filled with a variety of large color photographs, maps, statistics, and game action, these busy volumes are engaging scrapbooks for world soccer fans. The stiffly written texts offer a mix of history, biography, and personal details on fan favorites. All but U.S. Men's and World Cup include a board game on the endpapers. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers these World Soccer Legends titles: FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Messi, Real Madrid, Ronaldo, Stars of the World Cup, U.S. Men's Team, and Zlatan.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Generously filled with a variety of large color photographs, maps, statistics, and game action, these busy volumes are engaging scrapbooks for world soccer fans. The stiffly written texts offer a mix of history, biography, and personal details on fan favorites. All but U.S. Men's and World Cup include a board game on the endpapers. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers these World Soccer Legends titles: FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Messi, Real Madrid, Ronaldo, Stars of the World Cup, U.S. Men's Team, and Zlatan.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Generously filled with a variety of large color photographs, maps, statistics, and game action, these busy volumes are engaging scrapbooks for world soccer fans. The stiffly written texts offer a mix of history, biography, and personal details on fan favorites. All but U.S. Men's and World Cup include a board game on the endpapers. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers these World Soccer Legends titles: FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Messi, Real Madrid, Ronaldo, Stars of the World Cup, U.S. Men's Team, and Zlatan.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 World Soccer Legends series. Generously filled with a variety of large color photographs, maps, statistics, and game action, these busy volumes are engaging scrapbooks for world soccer fans. The stiffly written texts offer a mix of history, biography, and personal details on fan favorites. All but U.S. Men's and World Cup include a board game on the endpapers. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers these World Soccer Legends titles: FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Messi, Real Madrid, Ronaldo, Stars of the World Cup, U.S. Men's Team, and Zlatan.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan